Jaguar Sun (Jaguar Sun Series Book 1)

December 21, 2012 - Will that fateful day destroy our world, or did the Mayans have something else in mind? Maya Delaney knows.

Maya Delaney is just an average sixteen-year- old. She learns that she is meant to fulfill an ancient Mayan Prophesy and bring forth a New Age on earth. Will Toltec, an evil society bent on keeping her from her destiny succeed? Or will that destiny destroy her? More

December 21, 2012 - Will that fateful day destroy our world, or did the Mayans have something else in mind? Maya Delaney knows. Unfortunately.

Maya Delaney is just an average sixteen-year- old. She’s busy dealing with exams, her soon to be ex-boyfriend and fitting in. But Maya’s got bigger problems. She’s hiding a major secret from her dad and having strange visions she can’t control. In her struggle to figure out who she is, she learns that she is meant to fulfill an ancient Mayan Prophesy and bring forth a New Age on earth. Will the spirit magic Maya wields be enough to defeat Toltec, an evil society bent on keeping her from her destiny? Or will that destiny destroy her?

Martha Bourke grew up in Burlington, Vermont, often considered a hub of "free thinking." She was encouraged to write and be creative at a very young age. Martha also had her father's talent for languages, which later became her career. She spent fifteen years creating and teaching in foreign language programs for young children. She continued to write on the side, trying out a variety of fiction genres. Then she discovered YA - specifically, paranormal romance. She was hooked!

Martha and her husband of thirteen years have carved out their own little piece of Vermont in the Massachusetts countryside. When not writing, she loves spending time with her animals, good music, thrifting, and adding to her Converse collection. Jaguar Moon, Book 2, will be released in September, 2012.

Reviews

Review by:
Wolf Paw Publications
on May 8, 2013 :
This story is definitely interesting. Maya is Mayan, whose grandmother holds very dear the ancient ways of their people. She tells Maya a few certain things (I won't ruin the story for you) and Maya pretty much flips out over what she's told. Though I suppose if I were in her situation I'd probably freak out too even if it wasn't as uncommon in the story as it is in the real world.
I quite enjoyed Maya's narritive, though she "talked" in the narration as if she weren't exactly seventeen (she gave the aire of a fifteen year old), her little quips are very funny and there were many many moments when I'd crack a smile or burst out with a laugh while I read.
It's very easy to slide into Maya's world. You easily get lost in the characters and backdrop.
The Mayan culture is woven through out this story in amazing ways. Even while the reader enjoys the detailed adventure Maya and the others embark on, so much is learned about the lore and beliefs of the people.
I truly enjoyed the book and look forward to getting the second so I can continue the story to see what happens next.
I give this book 5 of 5 paws

Review by:
Jonel Boyko
on Feb. 21, 2013 :
There was so much to appreciate in this novel that I don’t know where to start. The fact that Bourke took shifters out of mainstream Caucasian society and gave them very deep ethnic roots was brilliant. She dug into existing mythology and religion to develop a wildly imaginative and extremely captivating novel that puts coming of age into a very unique light.

You don’t just see the world that Bourke describes in this novel; you get wrapped up in it and blanketed in it. This story is extremely well written, allowing you to immerse yourself even further into the action and reaction that accompanies it. She brings everything to life very well. It is brilliant.

The main characters in this story are very well developed. You know who they are, what they’re like, and what they like. I love how real the main character seems with all of her wild exaggerations. They make her leap off of the page and into the real world. I also appreciate the fact that the minor characters are quite well developed as well. Bourke found the balance wherein you get to know these characters but they don’t accidentally eclipse the major characters.

This is an extremely vivid world which is developed in such a manner that it is perfectly suited to the very vivid story that takes place within it. It is a phenomenal story that leaves you dying for more. Luckily for us, there’s a sequel.

(review of free book)

Review by:
Amber M.
on Dec. 4, 2012 :
This was a wonderful book!!! It was well written, and was fast-paced enough to keep from getting bored, but it didn't leave you behind. Maya is funny, nice, and a lot of the times: self-deprecating. Would definitely recommend to young adults and older teens.

(review of free book)

Review by:
Johanna
on Aug. 26, 2012 :
3 stars, would´ve been 3,5 I think if possible. I really like the idea of this story. So even if some things bothered me a little while reading, I wanted to know more all the time. My interest did not disappear. I think at times what put me off where some things the characters were saying, at times I felt they spoke too obvious things, things that could be left for the reader to realize. The whole Mayan/ shifter thing going on in the book still interests me a lot so hopefully I´ll get to read the second book some day. I think that the best part was the last chapters of the book, the intensity grew which I liked.

(review of free book)

Review by:
Johanna
on Aug. 26, 2012 :
(no rating)
3 stars, would´ve been 3,5 I think if possible. I really like the idea of this story. So even if some things bothered me a little while reading, I wanted to know more all the time. My interest did not disappear. I think at times what put me off where some things the characters were saying, at times I felt they spoke too obvious things, things that could be left for the reader to realize. The whole Mayan/ shifter thing going on in the book still interests me a lot so hopefully I´ll get to read the second book some day. I think that the best part was the last chapters of the book, the intensity grew which I liked.